Current Events > Two dead from carbon monoxide poisoning after using car to heat home

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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/two-dead-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-after-using-car-heat-texas-n1257972

Two people, including a child, were found dead Tuesday from carbon monoxide poisoning after a car was used to generate heat in a Houston home hit by widespread power outages from a rare winter storm.
Houston officers and firefighters responded to a welfare call to find two adults and two children suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, the police department said Tuesday morning. A woman and a girl did not survive, while a man and a boy were rushed to a hospital for treatment. The names of the victims have not been released.
"Initial indications are that car was running in the attached garage to create heat as the power is out. Cars, grills and generators should not be used in or near a building," the department said in a statement.
A deadly winter storm pummeling the country's south and mid-section has left more than 4 million people without power in Texas, as record-low temperatures overwhelmed the state's electric grid.
At least 25 people have died in weather-related fatalities so far since the weekend, the majority in Texas

Tragic. Hopefully in the future Texas (and other states) will have some education about how to deal with cold and lack of power.

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RIP @The_Trent

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why am I tagged in this topic

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The Trent posted...

why am I tagged in this topic

maybe because you live in texas man ya know but im not really sure since im not tc so i cant say for sure im just guessing here hope this helps homie

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this is very sad. may they rest in peace

it has been really cold in a lot of places lately

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jeez. thats sad.

but, how do you not know about carbon monoxide?

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The Trent posted...

why am I tagged in this topic

I don't think I tagged anyone unless the URL somehow did. There's a deleted post at #4, maybe that was someone tagging you?

BobLoblaw_ posted...

jeez. thats sad.

but, how do you not know about carbon monoxide?

Probably thought they were safe because they cracked a window or something.

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cuh posted...

That is so awful

I was reading that Texas had its own power grid separate than the one the United States uses, is that to blame?

I understand how the windmills froze up. But how did the cold shut down the nuclear power plant?

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cuh posted...

That is so awful

I was reading that Texas had its own power grid separate than the one the United States uses, is that to blame?

weather is blame, but yeah, not having a outside redundancy is stupid on the states part.

they could have bought power from other states had they the infrastructure

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How can you be a parent and not understand even the most basic of safety precautions?

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Giant_Aspirin posted...

maybe because you live in texas man ya know but im not really sure since im not tc so i cant say for sure im just guessing here hope this helps homie

this was not helpful but we can still be friends

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wait it was my friend antifar he must have been looking for a dont mess with texas delivery

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BeyondWalls posted...

I understand how the windmills froze up. But how did the cold shut down the nuclear power plant?

Primary problem is natural gas plants not wind

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reminder that these issues are largely because politicians in texas have dodged federal infrastructure as much as possible so that they and their friends could get more money, while also convincing voters it was in their best interest

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KiwiTerraRizing posted...

Primary problem is natural gas plants not wind

Ok. But that didnt answer my question.

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BeyondWalls posted...

I understand how the windmills froze up. But how did the cold shut down the nuclear power plant?

All the power problems in Texas comes down to not protecting for cold weather. They cost extra so they didnt bother adding on those things to the windmills, coal or natural gas. It is now biting them in the ass.

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Bananana posted...

reminder that these issues are largely because politicians in texas have dodged federal infrastructure as much as possible so that they and their friends could get more money, while also convincing voters it was in their best interest

Reminder this is a once in 35 years problem lol

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The Trent posted...

Reminder this is a once in 35 years problem lol

You hope.

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BeyondWalls posted...

You hope.

Omg dont threaten me dude

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Cuticrusader09 posted...

All the power problems in Texas comes down to not protecting for cold weather. They cost extra so they didnt bother adding on those things to the windmills, coal or natural gas. It is now biting them in the ass.

Yeah. But how did the nuclear power plant shut down?

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This shit happens way too often. Do they not teach the dangers of carbon monoxide in all schools? Honestly it should be part of all driver's ed classes as it's usually someone starting their car in a garage that ends up dying.
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BeyondWalls posted...

Yeah. But how did the nuclear power plant shut down?

Power plants use water, when its cold water freezes. Not that fucking complicated.

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The Trent posted...

Reminder this is a once in 35 years problem lol

youre right. thank god the climate isnt going through any crises right now that will inevitably make weather disasters worse and more frequent. then wed sure be in trouble!

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lilORANG posted...

This shit happens way too often. Do they not teach the dangers of carbon monoxide in all schools? Honestly it should be part of all driver's ed classes as it's usually someone starting their car in a garage that ends up dying.

I mean when you're dealing with freezing cold temps for hours or even days at a time you try to get anyway to generate some sort of heat.

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That is so horrible. And that poor child. But the adults are idiots for thinking that was a good idea.

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The Trent posted...

Reminder this is a once in 35 years problem lol

Imagine actually thinking like this with the way we use fossil fuels

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KiwiTerraRizing posted...

Power plants use water, when its cold water freezes. Not that fucking complicated.

It must be because my nuclear power plant operates below freezing for a quarter of the year. I guess they heat the water? But I find it hard to believe that Texas rivers are frozen after a few days. Running water doesnt freeze easily.

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I wonder if having a exhaust hose would help in situations like this?

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AldousIsDead posted...

Tragic. Hopefully in the future Texas (and other states) will have some education about how to deal with cold and lack of power.

should be common sense. body heat from other people, heavy wool, sunlight in the day, below 0 rated sleeping bags.

I tell everyone in cold climates: ALWAYS have emergency sleeping bags stored somewhere. IIRC they go as low as -26 F up to 32-48. buy what grade you need and be ready.

Stewman_Magoo posted...

Imagine actually thinking like this with the way we use fossil fuels

See you next year for freeze off 2022!

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That family had just emigrated here from Egypt so they probably had even less experience with cold weather than us Texans.

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divot1338 posted...

That family had just emigrated here from Egypt so they probably had even less experience with cold weather than us Texans.

fucking republicans

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It's really sad. Nothing about this scenario isn't a tragedy.

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LepartialJury posted...

That's awful. Hopefully they didn't suffer.

From what I know about it carbon monoxide is one of the easiest ways to go unless you wake up. It's a colorless odorless gas. My gramps used to have carbon monoxide detectors in my old house but they don't last forever.

The real tragedy is half of the people survived; what sounds like the son and husband.

This is so sad. You're trying to keep your kids warm ffs.

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Heavy_D_Forever posted...

How can you be a parent and not understand even the most basic of safety precautions?

You only need to know how to have sex to become a parent, and with the instincts we have it means even the most stupid people know that much.

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gunplagirl posted...

You only need to know how to have sex to become a parent, and with the instincts we have it means even the most stupid people know that much.

you'd be surprised. I had a friend who used to work for planned parenthood; the number of people showing up who didn't understand why or how they became pregnant, couples who didn't understand the process aka just putting it into thighs or whatever, there was no end to the stories and it's really sad how much sex education has failed even developed countries.

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ShyOx posted...

you'd be surprised. I had a friend who used to work for planned parenthood; the number of people showing up who didn't understand why or how they became pregnant, couples who didn't understand the process aka just putting it into thighs or whatever, there was no end to the stories and it's really sad how much sex education has failed even developed countries.

Let's be honest though, most people who become pregnant weren't even trying to.

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ShyOx posted...

the number of people showing up who didn't understand why or how they became pregnant, couples who didn't understand the process aka just putting it into thighs or whatever,

And these are... human beings you're talking about?
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EntonKagutsuchi posted...

And these are... human beings you're talking about?

Very real stuff, I'm not joking. In hindsight I can see the possibility for hilarity, but no joke people go through this and ask these questions. There are people all over the country who not even don't know they're pregnant or understand the signs, but don't even know how it happened.

And this is America.

The ... greatest country in the world *single tear while model smiling*

In all seriousness it's an endemic issue.

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